Why I Went to College in Springfield, OH, And Stayed

Clark State College

Leslie Ray grew up in Springfield, receiving a certificate in medical assisting from Clark State College in 2011. She then worked in the Mercy Health system, as well as local doctors’ offices, before deciding to leave the medical field and return to Clark.

“I came back to Clark State because, as I was getting a little older, I wanted to try something different. I always loved being there, so I took a position as the event manager at the Hollenbeck Bayley Creative Arts and Conference Center,” she says.

With a love of the arts and experience playing in cover bands and acting in theater productions, she calls it a natural transition. “Working as an event manager at a performing arts center was great for me,” Ray says.

The college in Springfield gives its staff and faculty free tuition, so she returned to student life and got her degree in accounting, moving into a role as assistant to the vice president of student affairs, and then into her current role as communication management coordinator. A lifelong learner, Ray is now working toward her bachelor’s degree in web design. 

Here’s what she has to say about why she’s built her life around her alma mater, and why she thinks the Dayton region is the ideal place to grow your career.

What opportunities presented themselves to you after graduation?
Springfield and Dayton have a lot of job opportunities. It was very easy for me to get a position after graduation in the health care field. When I got my accounting degree, I had job offers to work as an accountant, but I didn’t want to leave Clark State. The opportunities are really out there for you right after you graduate. I didn’t feel like I needed to move away to find job opportunities.

What sorts of resources are there at Clark State to help students with career preparation?
Clark State has a career services department that regularly posts jobs that are available in our area, and (the college) hosts a career fair every year. They have resume-building workshops and workshops that help you practice your interview skills, too. Many of the programs have internships as part of their curriculum, so the faculty and career services department both help placing people. When I did my internship in medical assisting, they had it arranged where businesses would agree to have an intern and students would choose which they wanted to go to, which usually led to people being hired there after graduation.

What are a few ways new grads can get connected to the community?
There are tons of volunteering opportunities at performing arts centers, hospitals and festivals. Downtown offers a lot of different family-friendly cultural events; those are really nice to go to and bring the community together. You’ll run into friends you haven’t seen since high school, co-workers and people you went to college with. It’s a good way to see everybody in the community, get yourself out there and network.

What are some of the best local community events?
The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce hosts events all year long, and you can find them listed on their website. There’s a wonderful “Christmas in the City” event that happens every year. All the businesses downtown decorate and light up the city, and there is ice skating, local shops and a large tree. 

Where are some of your favorite places to dine?
Winans Coffee and Chocolate (which has multiple locations in the region) has amazing coffee with a variety of choices, and its hand-crafted chocolates are the best. The Ironworks Waffle Cafe, located in Springfield’s COhatch, is wonderful and provides a unique waffle experience. Casa Del Sabor is a local favorite with excellent Mexican food. We eat dinner there at least a couple of times a month, and the Ridgewood Café has a nice bar-type atmosphere with great food.

How would you spend your ideal Saturday?
I’d go hiking at John Bryan State Park, then go to Young’s Jersey Dairy for lunch. It’s a local, family-owned ice cream shop that expanded to become a restaurant. Later, I’d go listen to live music at O’Connor’s Irish Pub. We have so much to do here.